The present invention relates to an image processing device for performing image processing with respect to image data inputted through a document image reading device such as a scanner, converting the image data so as to have a desired image expression, and outputting the resulting image data. The present invention more specifically relates to such an image processing device for managing output conditions of each inputted image data, and reproducing the inputted image as an output material in a predetermined form.
There has conventionally been an image processing device capable of performing predetermined processing selected from various image processing functions thereof with respect to a document image inputted from a document image reading section, and outputting the processed image from a printer section. The image processing device has been strongly desired to process a large volume of documents efficiently in a short time. In order to meet such a strong desire, for example, a digital copying machine for automatically processing and outputting a large volume of documents has been developed.
In addition, there is a multi-functioned digital copying machine capable of not only outputting from a printer section a document image inputted from a document reading section, but also outputting an image signal inputted from an external apparatus by using a facsimile function and a printer function.
Such image processing devices are required to be built to meet basic specifications to achieve high-speed-operation,high-quality-image-production, multifunction, low-cost, low-energy-consumption, etc. Furthermore, it is strongly desired that the image processing devices should rapidly and accurately perform the whole processing, from reading of a document image to outputting of the inputted image, even when recovering from troubles such as a jam.
In some digital copying machines, a recirculating automatic document feeder is provided so as to improve the operation efficiency. In this case, if a jam occurs when reading a document in the recirculating automatic document feeder, smooth recovery from the jam after the jam has been cleared is essential for achieving an efficient operation.
If recovery from a trouble is not smoothly carried out, the operation efficiency and reliability of the device are remarkably decreased. Thus, various devices for achieving smooth recovery from a trouble have been disclosed.
For example, Japanese Publication of Unexamined Patent Application No. 66586/1990 (Tokukaihei 2-66586) discloses an image processing device that smoothly recovers from a jam in the following manner. Specifically, when the image processing device detects that a document is set on a platen with a different side facing up when starting copying, the document is automatically turned over. This arrangement saves the operator from inconvenience to reset the documents one by one.
More specifically, according to the above-mentioned publication (Tokukaihei 2-66586), the image processing device is provided with a document side detecting section, a document recovery processing section, and a judging section for judging whether a discharge document has been copied or not. The document side detecting section detects which side (surface) of the document on the platen faces up. The document recovery processing section compares the detected document side with a document side to be copied next, and turns upside down the document if a different side faces up.
With this structure, if the image processing device detects that a document is placed on the platen with a different side facing up when starting copying, the document is automatically turned over. In addition, when the image processing device is caused to stop, it works out from which page the processing should be restarted, by judging from the number of copy sheets and the documents to which the processing is successfully performed, and determines whether a document purge is necessary or not. This arrangement saves the operator from inconvenience to reset the documents one by one, and improves the operation efficiency in recovering from a jam.
Meanwhile, some image processing devices such as a multi-functioned digital copying machine are arranged so as to process each image data in the corresponding mode, for example, when receiving an image from an external apparatus, such as a facsimile machine and a personal computer, while copying another image. In such devices, it is necessary to manage image data in each mode and to certainly and efficiently output the inputted image data as an image in the mode.
The above publication (Tokukaihei 2-66586) only mentions improvement of the operation efficiency of the image processing device achieved by comparing the number of copy sheets with the number of documents when recovering from a jam. However, it does not mention a method for managing output images which allows the image processing device to cope with troubles when it receives image data from, for example, a facsimile machine or a personal computer. Thus, the above image processing device still takes time to recover from such troubles and restart outputting images.
Specifically, when a trouble such as a jam occurs in an image output section while successively outputting, as images, image data inputted in a plurality of modes, if accurate jam recovery is not carried out in the process of outputting the images, it may be uncertain how far the image processing has been proceeded, and re-outputting the image data which has been already outputted may be required. Therefore, the conventional management method does not satisfactorily improve the operation efficiency of the image processing device.
Furthermore, a control section for executing the management method becomes more complicated than a control section that does not execute such management. Thus, the image processing device requires a processor with higher-performance, an accompanying peripheral circuit, etc. so as to prevent the operation efficiency from decreasing, thereby raising the cost of the device as a finished product.
In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a highly-reliable image processing device that is provided with an image process management table for managing contents of processing with respect to the image data of each image to be formed in an image forming section, and capable of successively forming the images according to the contents of the processing managed by the image process management table, certainly outputting the inputted image data, and quickly and appropriately recovering from various troubles, while minimizing the increase in the cost of the device.
An image processing device of the present invention includes: (1) input means for inputting image data; (2) setting means for setting a processing mode of inputted image data; (3) image processing means for performing predetermined image processing according to a processing mode set by the setting means; (4) output means for outputting the image data that has undergone the image processing; (5) management means for managing output conditions of each image data to be outputted by the output means; and (6) control means for controlling each image data to be outputted as an image by the output means according to the output conditions of the image data managed by the management means.
Since the image processing device is provided with the image processing means and the setting means, it is possible to standardize the control information of the image data, inputted in accordance with each processing mode, so as to meet the specifications of the output process, such as the print process, performed by the output means. Consequently, the above arrangement can simplify the output process of the image data in the respective processing modes.
The image processing device is further provided with the management means for managing output conditions of each image data, and the processed image is outputted through the output means in accordance with the output conditions managed by the management means. It is thus possible to certainly manage the output process of each inputted image data. Furthermore, since the output conditions are managed by the management means, recovery from a trouble is easily carried out, thereby improving reliability in the output process.